Working Life in Change

Working life is changing in step with technology, life stages and organisational demands. The article highlights how meaning, mental health and psychosocial work environment are related to sustainable performance – and why leadership and organisation play a crucial role in creating long-term well-being.

We live longer and work for more decades than previous generations. This places new demands on how we organise our working lives – both as individuals, leaders and organisations. A long working life requires the opportunity for continuous development, meaning and balance. At the same time, many people experience a working life that is at times characterised by stress, strain and lack of coherence.

Most people want a working life with meaning, influence and professional development. Yet both practice and research show that it is not a given that working life supports these needs.

Working life is Not The Same for Everyone.

There are big differences in how people navigate their working lives and master their professional skills over time. Factors such as learning, recognition, meaning in work, psychological working environment and the influence of technology all play a role – but to different degrees for different people and at different times in life.

At the same time, working life is not a static entity. It changes as we develop, gain new experiences and move through different life phases. What is experienced as meaningful and motivating at one time may be experienced as stressful or insufficient at another.

Therefore, it is crucial to understand working life as something dynamic – and for organisations to continuously consider how frameworks, requirements and opportunities affect employees’ well-being and engagement.

A Changing Labour Market

The Danish labour market is characterised by rapid technological development, increased focus on efficiency and implementation of new knowledge, and demands for sustainable solutions. At the same time, there is a growing desire – and need – to create more inclusive workplaces with room for diversity, work-life balance and increased focus on mental health, psychological working environment and well-being.

These movements place demands on both leadership and organisation. Although technological and structural changes can create new opportunities, they can also lead to increased complexity, pace and uncertainty in working life if they are not handled consciously and with an eye to the human consequences.

Meaning as a Fundamental Human Need

Research indicates that people fundamentally seek the experience of coherence. Aaron Antonovsky’s concept Sense of Coherence (1979) describes how the experience of comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness is crucial for people’s mental health.

Working life plays a central role here. When work is experienced as meaningful, and when there is a connection between demands, resources and influence, both well-being and resilience are strengthened. Conversely, a lack of meaning and unclear frameworks can have negative consequences for both the individual and the organisation over time.

Research on the work environment and leadership also shows a clear connection between the experience of meaning in work and key outcomes such as mental health, sick leave, engagement and productivity (Hu & Hirsh, 2017).

When Working Life Looks Good – But Doesn’t Always Feel That Way

In my work with people and organisations, I often meet people who, on paper, have a well-functioning working lives. They have experience, responsibility and a solid career behind them. Yet many experience that something is missing. Not necessarily because the work is wrong – but because the connection to themselves has weakened over time.

I meet people who, for many years, have been skilled at saying yes to new opportunities, exciting tasks and professional challenges. The labour market constantly offers new paths and temptations. But not everyone gets themselves properly involved. Trust in one’s own needs, boundaries and values ​​has not always been prioritised at the same pace as their careers have developed.

That is why we often return to some basic questions in our conversations:

• What is important to you right now?
• What gives meaning – and what drains you?
• Do you experience being recognised and seen for who you are?
• Do you thrive?
• Who can you talk to when something starts to weigh you down?

My experience is that the answers are rarely lacking. They usually already lie within the person themselves. The hard part is the path to get there – and the courage to be honest, both with oneself and with others. Trust is the most valuable prerequisite here. Without trust, honesty becomes difficult, and without honesty it becomes difficult to be seen and met for who you are.

Towards More Sustainable Workplaces

A sustainable working life is not about eliminating demands, changes or ambitions. It is about creating a framework where people can develop, contribute and thrive over time – without losing touch with themselves along the way.

It requires a conscious approach to how organisations are designed, managed and developed – both structurally and humanly. That is why we work closely with our customers to find more meaningful and humane ways to organise organisations and work communities.

Together We Are Best

Working life becomes impoverished if we do not dare to admit the nuances. If we do not dare to stand by who we are, what we bring, and what we contain. Honesty is not always easy, but it is necessary – both in relation to ourselves and to the communities we are a part of.

No one can solve it all alone. But together we can create working lives and work communities where there is room for both professionalism, humanity and meaning – and where it is possible to be seen, heard and met as the whole person that you are.

A sustainable working life begins with honesty – towards ourselves and each other. No one can solve it all alone. But together we can create working lives where there is room for the whole person.

Professional Perspectives and Inspiration

• Antonovsky, A. (1979). Health, Stress, and Coping.
• Hu, J. & Hirsh, J. (2017). Accepting lower salaries for meaningful work. Journal of Economic Psychology.